Starting and reversing device for multicylinder internal combustion engines



July 5, 1932. E, O p. THEGE 1,866,234

STARTING AND REVERSING DEVICE FOR MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 15, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l WW .T fir.

y 5, 1932- E. o. P. THEGE I 1,866,234

STARTING AND REvERsING DEVICE FOR MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 15, 192' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y 5, 1932- E. o. P. THEGE 1,866,234

STARTING AND REVBRSING DEvIcE FOR MULTICYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 15. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 66,234 LINDER Y E. 0: P. THEGE STARTING AND REVERSING DEVICE FOR MULTIC July 5,

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES I 4 .Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 15, 1927 Eda/1 17 0.1 73:72

Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFr-lcs I EDVIN OSSIAN IPARCIVAL' THEGE OF STOGKHOLM, SWEDEN, ASSIGNOR T AKTIE- BOLAGET ATLAS DIESEL, 0F STOGKHOLM, SWEDEN STARTING AND REVERSING DEVICE FOR MULTIGYLINDER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed August 15, 1827, Serial No. 213,160, and in Sweden July 16, 1926.

This invention relates to means for starting and also reversing multi-cylinder internal combustion engines by means of compressed air. For the controlling of the valve, admitting the compressed air to the working cylinders respectively of the engine, a pneumatic device is provided, in which a power accumulating means such as a spiral spring is located between the shifting member or piston of the pneumatic device and-the said air admitting valve and for the piston an abutment is arranged limiting the Working stroke of the same. Owing to this arrangement the compressed air actuating the pneumatic device only has to increase the compression of the said spring until the piston impinges the abutment. The compression of the spring is thus always increased to a fixed amount, which is so adapted that it over-- comes the pressure of theexpanded combus tion gases in the working cylinder of the engine and the tension of'the ordinary spring provided for closing the same, as the said pressure becomes equal to or slighter than the pressure of the starting air. This lsot great importance, because the pressure of the air actuating the piston of the pneumatic device then may vary without aflecting the operation of the device, provided only that the air always is able to impart the said compression to the spring. Consequently, the air admitting valve will be openedonly when the pressure of the combustion gases has been so reduced, that the gases are not able to enter the channel or pipe leading to the said valve, any possibility of explosions taking place in the said channel being thereby wholly excluded.

For the admitting of air to the'said pneumatic devices a distributing valve of any suitable construction may be used, for instance, a rotating distributing valve, which is well adapted for the purpose.

Fig. 1 in the accompanying drawings shows in a front view a four cylinder engine of the two stroke cycle type provided with a starting and reversing device arranged in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 shows the said engine viewed from the .right hand end in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows in a vertical usual manner. working cylinders are all constructed in the section one of the starting valves belonging H to the said device. Fig. 4: is a longitudinal section of the distributing valve. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6

is a section on the line 6-6 of the same.

f on the line 88 and 9-9 respectively of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 shows in a sectional view an admitting valve for compressed air. Only so much of the engine is shown as is necessary for the explaining of the invention.

1, 2, 3. and 1 are the working cylinders of;

the engine and 5 isthe crank shaft rotated by the pistons of the working cylinders by means of connecting rods (not shown) in the The starting valves of the same manner, for which reason only the valve of the working cylinder 1 is described.

Thevalve casing 6, Fig. 3, is fixed in the top part or cover 7 of the Working cylinder 1. The valve body 8 is held in close posi-' 111011 by a spring 9. To the casing 6 a pipe 10 is connected communicating with a p1pe 11 common to the working cylinders 1 to 4 inclusive and connected with a valve casing 13. In the said casing 13 a valve 63 is provided which is shifted by means of a hand lever 14: and an eccentric 64 against the pressure oi": a spring 65 and, when opened connects the pipe 11 with a pipe 15 leading from a receiver 15X, Fig. 1 containing compressedair. The said valve 63 also connects the pipe 15 with a pipe 33 leading to the distributing valve, as more closely described below. The valve spindle 17 of the starting valve extends upwards into the valve casing and through a sleeve 18 movable longitudinally in a guide provided in the casing 6 and fitting tightly to the same, said sleeve 18 being vided located between the flange 22 and an 27 fixed to the valve casing by means of screw bolts 28 and nuts. The said cylinder 27 is connected through a pipe 29 with a dis- 4 tributing piston valve, Figs. 4 and 5. For

the piston 26 an abutment 62 is provided on a sleeve 26X located between the valve casing 6 and the cylinder 27, said abutment limiting the working stroke of the piston.

As air is admitted into the cylinder 27 by the distributing valve, shown in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, and described below, the piston 26 is forced downwards, until it is stopped by the abutment 62. During the said movement of the piston 26 power is accumulated in the spring '23 or its compression is increased. The compression of the spring is so adapted with relation to the area of the valve 8 facing the combustion chamber'of the engine and also to the compression of the spring 9, that the spring 23 after its compression has been increased through the action of the piston 26 is able to open the valve 8, as soon as the pressure of the expanded combustion gases contained in the cylinder 1 is equal to or smaller than the pressure of the starting air in the pipe 10. Owing to the stated arrangement of the pneumatic device the compression of the spring 23 is always increased to a fixed amount whichis independent of variations in the pressure of the air admitted to the cylinder 27, provided only that the said pressure is able to force the piston 26 downwards to the abutment 62 and compress the spring 23 accordingly. This involves a guarantee of the valve '8 being never opened until the pressure of the expanded combustion gases has been so reduced that they can not enter into the valve casing 6 and the pipe 10. In this manner any possibility of explosions taking place in the said casing and pipe is entirely excluded. The lower side of the sleeve 18 may be so adapted relatively to the top side of the valve '8, that the valve is balanced with regard to the starting air in the pipe 10. In such case the maximum compression of the spring 23, determined by the abutment 62, is so adapted that the pressure of the said spring will overcome the pressure of the spring 9 and the pressure of the combustion gases in the cylinder 1, when reduced substantially to the pressure of the starting air. The lower'side of the sleeve may, if wanted, be so adapted, that the starting air aids in holding the valve 8 in closed position. The maximum compression of the spring '23 is then so adapted, that it is able to overcome *the pressure of "the spring 9, thedifler'ence between the pressure of the starting air on the sleeve 18 and the valve body 8, and the reduced pressure of the combustion gases. As compressed air is admitted into the cylinder 27, the piston 26 is forced downward, until it strikes the abutment 62. At the same time the member 24 is forced clownward for the same distance, so that betweenthe outer flange of the said member 24 and the inner flange of the cover the same distance exists; the said cover 25 together with the sleeve 21 being held stationary by the pressure on the valve 8 in the working cylinder 1. The distance is greater than the distance between the lower end of the sleeve 21 and the bottom of the bore in the casing 6. As the pressure in the working cylinder is sufficiently reduced, the sleeve 21 together with sleeve 18 and the valve 8 is forced downwards by the compressed spring 23 untilthe lower end of the sleeve 21 strikes the bottom of the said bore, which owing to the difference between the said distances t kes place without the inner flange of the cover 25 striking the outer flange of the member 24, whereby the bottom of the bore limits the downward movement of the valve 8.

The distributing piston valve shown in Figs. 4-9 inclusive and adapted to the engine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a casing and a lining 31, constituting a guide for the distributing piston valve. A chamber 32 is provided in the casing and extends round the lining, which by means of the pipe 33 is connected with the valve casing 13. As the valve provided in the casing 13 is opened'by means of the hand lever 14, compressed air is admitted to the chamber 32. In the casing 30 four distributing channels 34, 35, 36 and 37 are provided,"whichare located 'at a distance of 90 from one another and by means of the pipes 29, 40, 41 and 42 are connected with the pneumatic devices of the working cylinders respectively. The distributing channels 34 to 37 inclusive, extending longitudinally of the casing, end in openings 34*, 34 35"., 36 36", 37 and 37 in the lining 31. The distributing valve comprises two piston shaped parts viz. an outer part 43 fitting closely to the casing and apart 44, in which channels or chambers for the distributing of the compressed air to the channels 34 to 37 inclusive andthe pneumatic devices and for the emitting of the air are provided. The chamber 45 between the "pistons 43 and 4 communicates uninterruptedly through openings 46 inlthe lining with the compressed air chamber '32. From the end of the piston 44 facing the chamber 45 two channels 47 and 48 extend longitudinally of the piston and communicate with chambers 49 and 50respectively' provided in the peripheral surface of the piston 44. Two

similar chambers '51 and 52' are provided in the opposite side of the piston 44 and oommunicate with a longitudinal channel 53 common to the same and leading to the right hand end of the piston 44 and an exit opening 54 providedin the same.

The valve is rotated by the crank shaft 5 of the engine by means of a motion transmitting device which according to Figs. 1 and 2 consists of toothed wheels 55 and 56 on the spindle of the distributing piston valve and the crank shaft 5 respectively and an intermediate toothed wheel 57 The diameters of said wheels 55 and 56 have the same length, so that the distributing iston valve rotates with the same number 0 revolutions as the crank shaft. Besides the distributing piston valve may be shifted longitudinally by means of a hand lever 58 into two functioning positions shown in Figs. 4 and 7. Lever 58 is connected by a link 59 with a fork shaped lever 60 pivoted at 61 and engaging the spindle of the piston valve between two flanges provided on the same.

When the piston valve is in the position shown in Fig. 4 and rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5, it connects through the channel 47 and the chamber 49, Figs. 4 and 6, the compressed air receiver alternately with the left hand openings 34, 35 36 and 37 a of the distributing channels 34 to 37 inclusive and thus with the cylinders 27 of the pneumatic devices at the four working cylinders, so that the starting valves are opened in proper turn and admit compressed air into the working cylinders for driving the engine in one direction. At the same time the chamber 51 passes the right hand ends 34*, 35", 36 and 37 of the distributing channels, Figs. 4 and 5, and permit the air to escape from the cylinders of the pneumatic devices through the channel 53 so that the starting valves are closed in turns. In this manner each working piston is actuated by compressed air.

Owing to the fact that in four cylinder engines always one of the cranks and the corresponding piston, while the engine is at a standstill, is located between the inner and outer dead centres, the engines, always will be started at the admission of the compressed air, which owing to the adjusting of the distributing piston valve and its rotary motion synchronous with the crank shaft is effected first at the said piston and then at the other pistons.

After the admitted compressed air has expanded and caused the said piston to pass the outer dead centre the air is compressed in the working cylinder during the upward stroke of the piston and fuel is admitted in the ordinary manner and ignited. After the combustion gases have expanded to a pressure equal to or less than the pressure of the compressed starting air, starting air is again admitted in the cylinder and so on until the engine runs at full speed. The admission of compressed air is then interrupted. For the reversing of the rotary direction of the engine while running the admission of fuel is first interrupted. Theengine then continues to rotate acted upon by the inertia of the fly wheel and finally is brought to a standstill by friction resistances. As soon as the engine has been brought to a standstill, the piston valve .44 is shifted to its second position,

shown in Fig. 7, by means of the lever 58. Fuel is then again admitted whereupon compressed air is admitted to the pipes 11 and 10 and all starting valves 8 and also to the piston valve 44 through pipe 33 by swinging the lever 14 downwards. Through the shifting of the piston valve 44 the chamber '50 is located at the left hand ends 34 35 36 and 37 a of the channels 34 to 37 inclusive and the chamber 52 opposite to the right hand ends 34*, 35 36 and 37 of the said chamber, see

also Figs. 8 and 9. l

The chambers 50 and 52 then operate in the same manner as the chambers 49 and ,51

while the distributing piston valve is ropassed the inner dead centre in a direction opposite to that, while the chamber 49 was operative.

As the engine is started in one direction, for instance forward, the crank which is first actuated by the compressed air swings to the right. If the same engine should be started in a reverse direction the crank first actuated by the compressed air swings to a position at the left. This occurs in all engines provided, with, for instance, four cylinders and with a reversing device.

There is a similar location of the chambers 51 and 52. The expanded starting air is compressed and fuel admitted and ignited in the same manner as described above. the gases have expanded, so that their pressure is equal to or less than the pressure of the starting air, starting air is admitted in the cylinder and then expands causing the piston to pass its outer dead centre. Compression, admission of fuel and ignition of the same and expansion of the charge then take place in the same manner as described above.

The same operations take place in the other a working cylinders, so that the engine finally is run at full speed in the reversed direction. The admission of compressed air is then interrupted.

The invention, which may be applied also of the same.

I claim.

In a pneumatic device for opening the valves admitting compressed air to the Working cylinders of multi-cylinder internal combustion engine for starting and reversing the same, the combination of an air admitting valve, means admitting starting air to the casing of the said valve, a cylinder, means admitting periodically a compressed medium into the cylinder, a piston operating in the said cylinder, apower accumulating device comprising a spiral spring'interposed between the said piston and said valve, and a stationary abutment limiting the Working stroke of said piston and controlling the maximum compression of the said spring, for the purpose that the said valve may be opened as the pressure of the combustion gases in the Working cylinders respectively of the engine has become substantially less than the pressure of the starting air.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

EDVIN OSSIAN PARCIVAL THEGE. 

